Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE -- About a dozen protesters took to Governor Carcieri's office this morning asking him to release millions of dollars in heating aid to the poor.

The protesters, associated with Pawtucket-based George Wiley Center, gathered at the State House rotunda holding yellow signs that read "$38 million," the amount the state recently received from the federal government to fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.

Carcieri said through his spokespeople the money cannot be released until late next month. Usually that money is released in late February, the governor's office said.

The average grant for qualifying households is expected to increase to $480 from $340, the governor's office said.

To qualify, people can earn as much as 60 percent of the state median income. For a family of four, the cutoff would be $46,913.

-- With reports from Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau

 Tags  Gov. Carcieri heating assistance Pawtucket Providence RI

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